Nay, hated too, worse than the great'st infection
That e'er was heard, or read!
Cam. Swear this though over
By each particular star in heaven, and
By all their influences; you may as well
Forbid the fea for to obey the moon,
As or by oath remove, or counsel shake
The fabrick of his folly, whose foundation
Is pild upon his faith, and will continue
The standing of his body.
Pol. How should this grow?
Cam. I know not; but I'm sure 'tis safer to
Avoid what's grown, than question how 'tis born.
If therefore you dare trust my honesty
That lyes inclosed in this trunk, which you
Shall bear along impawn'd, away to-night!
Your followers I will whisper to the business,
And will by twoes, and threes, at feveral posterns,
Clear them o'th' city. For my felf, I'll put
My fortunes to your service, which are here
By this discovery loft. Be not uncertain,
For by the honour of my parents, I
Have utter'd truth; which if you seek to prove,
I dare not stand by't; nor shall you be fafer
Than one condemn'd by the King's own mouth,
His execution sworn.
I saw his heart in's face. Give me thy hand;
Be pilot to me, and thy places shall
Still neighbour mine. My thips are ready, and
My people did expect my hence departure
Two days ago. This jealouhe
Is for a precious creature; as she's rare,
Must it be great; and, as his perfon's mighty,
Must it be violent; and, as he does conceive
He is dishonour'd by a man which ever
Profess'd to him, why, his revenges must
In that be made more bitter. Fear o'er-shades me:
Good expedition be my friend! Heav'n comfort
The gracious Queen, part of his theam, but nothing of
Of his ill-ta'en fufpicion! Come, Camillo,
I will respect thee as a father, if
Thou bear'st my life off hence.
Cam. It is in mine authority to command
The keys of all the posterns: please your Highness
To take the urgent hour. Come, Sir, away,
ACT II. SCENE I.
The SCENE Continues.
Enter Hermione, Mamillus, and Ladies.
to you; he so troubles me,
'Tis past enduring.
I Lady. Come, my gracious Lord,
Shall I be your play-fellow?
Mam. No, I'll none of you.
Lady. Why, my sweet Lord?
Mam. You'll kiss me hard, and speak to me as if
I were a baby still; I love you better.
2 Lady. And why so, pray, my Lord?
Mam. Not for because
Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say,
Become some women best, so that there be not
Too much hair there, but in a semicircle,
Like a half-moon made with a pen.
2 Lady. Who taught you this?
Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces: pray now,
What colour be your eye-brows?
I Lady. Blue, my Lord.
Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I've seen a Lady's nose
That has been blue, but not her eye-brows.
The Queen, your mother, rounds apace: we shall
Present our services to a fine new Prince
One of these days, and then you'll wanton with us,
If we would have you.
2 Lady. She is spread of late
Into a goodly bulk, good time encounter her!
Her. What wisdom stirs amongst you? come, Sir, now
I am for you again. Pray you sit by us,
Mam. Merry, or fad, shall't be?
Her. As merry as you will.
Mam. A fad tale's best
For winter. I have one of sprights and goblins.
Her. Let us have that, good Sir.
Come on, fit down. Come on, and do your beft,
To fright me with your sprights: you're powerful at its
Mam. There was a man
Her. Nay, come fit down; then on.
Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard: I will tell it foftly :
Yond crickets shall not hear it.
Her. Come on then, and give it me in mine ear.
SCENE II.
Enter Leontes, Antigonus, and Lords.
Leo. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him?
Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never
Saw I men scowr so on their way: I ey'd them
On even to their ships.
In my just censure! in my true opinion!
Alack, for lesser knowledge! how accurs'd
In being so blest! there may be in the cup
A spider steep'd, and one may drink, depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected: but if one present
Th' abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known
How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his fides
With violent hefts. I have drunk, and seen the spider.
Camillo was his help in this, his pander :
There is a plot against my life, my crown;
All's true that is mistrusted: that false villain,
Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him:
He hath discover'd my defign, and I
Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick
For them to play at will: how came the posterns
So easily open?
Lord. By his great authority,
Which hath prevailed oftentimes no less
Than fo on your command.
Give me the boy, I'm glad you did not nurse him:
Though he does bear some figns of me, yet you
Have too much blood in him.
Her. What is this? sport?
Leo. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come about her,
Away with him, and let her sport her felf
With that she's big with: 'tis Polixenes
Has made thee swell thus.
Her. I'd but say he had not;
And I'll be sworn you would believe my saying,
Howe'er you lean to th' nayward.
Look on her, mark her well; be but about
To fay she is a goodly Lady, and
The juftice of your hearts will thereto add,
'Tis pity she's not honest, honourable :
Praise her but for this her without-door form,
Which on my faith deserves high speech, and straight
The shrug, the hum, or ha, these petty brands
That calumny doth use, oh, I am out,
That mercy doth, (for calumny will fear
Virtue it self) these shrugs, these hums, and ha's,
When you have said she's goodly, come between
Ere you can say she's honest: but be't known,
From him that has most cause to grieve it should be,
She's an adult'ress.
Her. Should a villain say so,
The most replenish'd villain in the world,
He were as much more villain: you, my Lord,
Do but mistake.
Leo. You have mistook, my Lady,
Polixenes for Leontes. O thou thing!
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Left barbarism, making me the precedent,
Should a like language use to all degrees,
And mannerly diftinguishment leave out
Betwixt the Prince and beggar. I have faid
She's an adult'ress, I have said with whom :
More; she's a traitor, and Camillo is
A federary with her, one that knows
What she should be asham'd to know her self,
But with her most vile principal; that she's
A bed-fwerver, even as bad as those
The vulgar give bold'st titles; ay, and privy
To this their late escape.
Privy to none of this: how will this grieve you,
When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that
You thus have publish'd me? gentle my Lord,
You scarce can right me throughly then, to say
You did mistake.
Leo. No, if I do mistake
In those foundations which I build upon,
The center is not big enough to bear
A school-boy's top. Away with her to prison:
He who shall speak for her, is far off guilty
In that he speaks.
Her. There's some ill planet reigns;
I must be patient, 'till the heavens look
With aspect of more favour. Good my Lords,
I am not prone to weeping, as our sex
Commonly are, the want of which vain dew
Perchance shall dry your pities; but I have
That honourable grief lodg'd here, which burns
Worse than tears drown: 'beseech you all, my Lords,
With thoughts so qualified as your charities
Shall best instruct you, measure me; and so
The King's will be perform'd!
Leo. Shall I be heard?
Her. Who is't that goes with me? 'beseech your Highness,
My women may be with me, for you fee
My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools,
There is no cause; when you shall know your mistress
Has deserv'd prison, then abound in tears,
As I come out; this action, I now go on,
Is for my better grace. Adieu, my Lord,
I never wish'd to see you forry; now
I truft I shall. My women, come, you've leave.
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